#classical period

Beethoven | Üçlü Konçerto, Rondo alla polacca

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Its exceptional importance lies in the fact that it preserves the only complete example of Greek wall painting from the Archaic or Classical period. Constructed from five limestone slabs forming the walls and ceiling, with the floor carved from the bedrock, the tomb is a remarkable architectural feat.

The interior walls are adorned with vivid scenes of a symposium, a ritual feast involving drinking. However, the most iconic image is found on the ceiling slab: a solitary youth diving into a winding stream. This powerful image is interpreted as a symbolic representation of the soul's passage from life to death. Housed in the National Archaeological Museum of Paestum, this tomb offers unparalleled insight into the funerary art and beliefs of ancient Greece.

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La Tumba del Nadador, que data aproximadamente del año 480 a. C., es un tesoro único entre las colonias griegas de Italia. Su excepcional importancia radica en que conserva el único ejemplo completo de pintura mural griega del periodo arcaico o clásico. Construida con cinco losas de piedra caliza que forman las paredes y el techo, y con el suelo tallado en la roca madre, la tumba constituye una hazaña arquitectónica extraordinaria.

Las paredes interiores están decoradas con vívidas escenas de un simposio, un banquete ritual en el que se bebe. Sin embargo, la imagen más emblemática se encuentra en la losa del techo: un joven solitario zambulléndose en un arroyo serpenteante. Esta impactante imagen se interpreta como una representación simbólica del paso del alma de la vida a la muerte. Ubicada en el Museo Arqueológico Nacional de Paestum, esta tumba ofrece una visión sin igual del arte funerario y las creencias de la antigua Grecia.

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La Tomba del Nuotatore, risalente all'incirca al 480 a.C., è un tesoro unico tra le colonie greche in Italia. La sua eccezionale importanza risiede nel fatto che conserva l'unico esempio completo di pittura murale greca del periodo arcaico o classico. Costruita con cinque lastre di calcare che formano le pareti e il soffitto, con il pavimento ricavato dalla roccia, la tomba rappresenta una straordinaria impresa architettonica.

Le pareti interne sono decorate con vivide scene di un simposio, un banchetto rituale in cui si beveva. Tuttavia, l'immagine più iconica si trova sulla lastra del soffitto: un giovane solitario che si tuffa in un torrente sinuoso. Questa immagine di grande impatto è interpretata come una rappresentazione simbolica del passaggio dell'anima dalla vita alla morte. Conservata presso il Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Paestum, questa tomba offre una visione senza pari dell'arte funeraria e delle credenze dell'antica Grecia.

Museo Arqueológico Nacional de Paestum, Italia.

By O. Von Corven - Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2307486

As the Classical Period began, the Achaemenid Empire had several 'outstanding libraries' that functions two main purposes: to keep administrative records, such as governmental orders, budgets, and transactions, and as a collection point of resources about subjects such as astronomy, geometry, history, medical science, and philosophy. They still recorded their writings on clay tablets in three languages that relied on cueniform: Old Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian. The collection that was found in Persepolis known as the Persepolis Fortification Archive survives to this date and was rediscovered in the 1930s and thousands of tablets were recovered that detail the years between 509-457 and supply detailed information about the religion, geography, economy, administration, and social conditions in the region, which was 'the heartland of the Persian Great Kings from from Darius I the Great to Araxerxes I', representing 'the single most important extant primary source for understanding the internal workings of the Persian Achaemenid Empire'.

As Alexander III of Macedon, more commonly known as Alexander the Great, stormed across the Near East, a lot of the stored information was redirected through his empire, especially to the Library of Alexandria, Egypt, though there were claims made of a sizable library known as Sarouyeh located in Isfahan, Iran, that might have had its works transferred to Baghdad at some point, though the historicity of this particular library is uncertain. In contrast, the Library of Alexandria is perhaps one of the best known libraries in history and potentially the 'largest and most significant great library of the ancient world'. Under the Ptolemies, it flourished and became 'the capital of knowledge and learning', enticing scholars from around the Greek empire, including Callimachus, a Greek poet and scholar who wrote the Pinakes, which is 'sometimes considered the world's first library catalog', an update from the inventories that existed in the ancient world. It entered a period of decline beginning in 145 BCE as Ptolemy VIII Physcon, who purged the intellectuals from Alexandria as part of a purge of those who opposed him, with even the head librarian, Aristarchus of Samothrace who 'produced the definitive texts of the Homeric poems', to resign and enter into self-imposed exile in Cyprus.

Private libraries began to appear during this time as well, with a list of the most celebrated being collected around 200 CE in the Deipnosophistae, though this work focuses only on the libraries of the ancient Greeks and was silent on the libraries of the ancient Romans. Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger, a Roman Stoic philosopher, railed against 'libraries fitted out for show by illiterate owners who scarcely read their titles in the course of a lifetime, but displayed the scrolls in bookcases (armaria) of citrus wood inlaid with ivory that ran right to the ceiling: " by now, like bathrooms and hot water, a library is got up as standard equipment for a fine house (domus)"'.

The first public libraries were established in the Roman Empire by Asinius Pollio, one of Julius Caesar's 'most ardent supporters', which he established because Julius Caesar desired to do so. He established the Alna Libertatis, which was in the Forum Romanum in the Atrium Libertatis. It separated Greek and Latin works as part of its architectural design, which later Roman libraries would follow. There was also an art gallery connected to the library, both of which were open to the public. Some scholars disagree with these being the first public libraries, stating that Athens had a public library as early as the 6th century BCE and that they were then widespread, including the Library of Alexandria. The difference between the two was that in Roman libraries, the public had 'direct access to the scrolls, which were kept on shelves built into the walls of a large room. Reading or copying was normally done in the room itself'.

These libraries had a focus on books that were 'religious [in] nature, such as volumes of the Bible or religious service books. "In a number of cases the library was entirely theological and liturgical, and in the greater part of the libraries the non-ecclesiastical content did not reach one third of the total"', with Plato being quite popular for that non-ecclesiastical portion.

@Louvre Museum, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons / Inv. Louvre AGER Bj 2152.

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It resembles a contemporary installation: an oxidised bronze cone, two 'wings' that cut through space, a golden crown of leaves. It is a pilos helmet with a crest holder: light and metal, power and beauty in the same profile.

Between the 4th and 3rd centuries BC, between late classicism and the Hellenistic period, Greek armour evolved towards lighter and more spectacular forms. The pilos (conical cap) replaced more cumbersome models; the vertical crest holder allowed for monumental crests or insignia that amplified the warrior's presence in parades and battle. The gold crown with plant motifs evoked honours and sacred offerings: virtue, rank and memory coexisted in a single object.

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El casco con alas, siglos IV-III a. C. Musée du Louvre, Paris – Département des Antiquités Grecques

Parece una instalación contemporánea: un cono de bronce oxidado, dos «alas» que atraviesan el espacio, una corona de hojas doradas. Es un casco pilos con porta-cimera: luz y metal, poder y belleza en un mismo perfil.

Entre los siglos IV y III a. C., entre el clasicismo tardío y la época helenística, el armamento griego evoluciona hacia formas más ligeras y espectaculares. El pilos (casco cónico) sustituye a los modelos más voluminosos; el porta-cimera vertical permite crestas monumentales o insignias que amplifican la presencia del guerrero en desfiles y batallas. La corona de oro con láminas vegetales evoca premios honoríficos y ofrendas sagradas: en un solo objeto conviven la virtud, el rango y la memoria.

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L'elmo con le ali, IV - III sec. a.C. Musée du Louvre, Paris – Département des Antiquités Grecques

Sembra un’installazione contemporanea: un cono di bronzo ossidato, due “ali” che fendono lo spazio, una corona d’oro a foglie. È un elmo a pilos con porta-cimiero: luce e metallo, potere e bellezza nello stesso profilo.

Fra IV–III sec. a.C., tra tardo classicismo ed età ellenistica, l’armamento greco evolve verso forme più leggere e scenografiche. Il pilos (calotta conica) sostituisce modelli più ingombranti; il porta-cimiero verticale permette creste monumentali o insegne che amplificano la presenza del guerriero in parate e battaglia. La corona d’oro a lamine vegetali richiama premi onorifici e offerte sacre: in un solo oggetto convivono virtù, rango e memoria.

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At Cape Sounion, time slows down. The Temple of Poseidon stands out in perfect silhouette against the fiery sky, while the sun slowly dissolves into the Aegean Sea, as it has done for millennia. The Doric columns, sculpted by wind and light, seem to watch over the horizon, suspended between sky and sea. Here you can feel a subtle magic, an ancient and silent energy that makes you feel both tiny and eternal at the same time.

The Temple of Poseidon was built in the 5th century BC, during the height of the Classical period, on the site of a previous archaic sanctuary destroyed during the Persian Wars. Dedicated to the god of the sea, protector of sailors, the sanctuary at Cape Sounion had a fundamental strategic and symbolic function for Athens: it marked the maritime entrance to Attica and entrusted the voyages and destiny of the polis to the deity of the waters. Its Doric columns, still visible today, embody the ideal of balance and harmony in Greek architecture, in an eternal dialogue with the sea.

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Templo de Poseidón, Cabo Sunio (Grecia) siglo V a. C.

En Cabo Sunio, el tiempo se ralentiza. El templo de Poseidón se recorta en una silueta perfecta contra el cielo en llamas, mientras el sol se disuelve lentamente en el mar Egeo, como lo ha hecho durante milenios. Las columnas dóricas, esculpidas por el viento y la luz, parecen vigilar el horizonte, suspendidas entre el cielo y el mar. Aquí se percibe una magia sutil, una energía antigua y silenciosa que te hace sentir a la vez minúsculo y eterno.

El templo de Poseidón fue construido en el siglo V a. C., en plena época clásica, sobre un antiguo santuario arcaico destruido durante las guerras persas. Dedicado al dios del mar, protector de los navegantes, el santuario de Cabo Sunio tenía una función estratégica y simbólica fundamental para Atenas: marcaba la entrada marítima a Ática y confiaba los viajes y el destino de la polis a la divinidad de las aguas. Sus columnas dóricas, aún visibles hoy en día, encarnan el ideal de equilibrio y armonía de la arquitectura griega, en un diálogo eterno con el mar.

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Tempio di Poseidone, Capo Sunio (Grecia) s. V a.C.

A Capo Sunio il tempo rallenta. Il tempio di Poseidone si staglia in perfetta silhouette contro il cielo infuocato, mentre il sole si dissolve lentamente nel Mar Egeo, come fa da millenni. Le colonne doriche, scolpite dal vento e dalla luce, sembrano vegliare sull’orizzonte, sospese tra cielo e mare. Qui si avverte una magia sottile, un’energia antica e silenziosa che ti fa sentire allo stesso tempo minuscolo ed eterno.

Il tempio di Poseidone fu costruito nel V secolo a.C., in piena età classica, su un precedente santuario arcaico distrutto durante le guerre persiane. Dedicato al dio del mare, protettore dei naviganti, il santuario di Capo Sunio aveva una funzione strategica e simbolica fondamentale per Atene: segnava l’ingresso marittimo all’Attica e affidava i viaggi e il destino della polis alla divinità delle acque. Le sue colonne doriche, ancora oggi visibili, incarnano l’ideale di equilibrio e armonia dell’architettura greca, in un dialogo eterno con il mare.

Source: ANTICAE VIAE

Jean-Louis Duport | Çello Konçertosu No.6, Allegro

Mozart | Violin & Viola Duo No.2

Moots, follow-friends, passers-by, are you tired (so fucking tired) of Current Events and the laughable shitshow of current events, but not feeling super inspired by standard issue English/Tolkien-with-the-serial-numbers-filed-off fantasy?

My Northern hemisphere folks, are you starting to feel the cozy season? My Southern hemisphere folks, ready to vibe with a different warmth as the seasons turn? Middle Eastern fantasy fans, ready for a taste of your own myths and recipes for a change? (so many delightful historical offerings, adaptable for readers with chronic fatigue/needing accommodations by a fellow spoonie?) Marvelous characters of many genders, classes, appearances and ability that feel organic, not just "for the representation?"

Fantasy cats are great, but what about fantasy dogs, when is man's best friend going to get a fair shake?

Tomorrow, September 13th, go get Haroun and The Study of Mischief, available on many platforms not the Evil Rainforest Empire. And if you like it, please tell your friends. This is a wonderful, gentle without being dumbed-down or childish universe and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.